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Csonka’s WWE UK Championship Tournament Review 1.14.17
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Csonka’s WWE UK Championship Tournament Review 1.14.17
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Trent Seven defeated H.C. Dyer @ 5:30 via pin [**¾]
– Jordan Devlin defeated Danny Burch @ 9:25 via pin [**½]
– Sam Gradwell defeated Saxon Huxley @ 6:12 via pin [**]
– Pete Dunne defeated Roy Johnson @ 8:00 via pin [**¾]
– Wolfgang defeated Tyson T-Bone @ 6:35 via pin [***]
– Joseph Conners defeated James Drake @ 7:20 via pin [**¾]
– Mark Andrews defeated Dan Moloney @ 6:00 via pin [***]
– Tyler Bate defeated Tucker @ 10:45 via pin [***½]
– The set up for the show looks great, as uncle Paul arrives to welcome us to his latest project, “Are You Ready?”
– Nigel and Michael Cole welcome us to the show, and then discuss some of the competitors.
– We get a video package for Trent Seven vs. H.C. Dyer.
– These first round matches will have a 15-minute time limit.
MY GOD pic.twitter.com/9F5tXgRwsm
— AmplifiedtoJosh (@AmplifiedtoRock) January 14, 2017
Trent Seven vs. H.C. Dyer: Cole and Nigel giving PROGRESS a shout out while discussing Seven. Rowdy fucking crowd here, making for a tremendous atmosphere. Seven looks to grapple early, avoiding the strikes of Dyer. Dyer hits the dropkick and they brawl to the floor for a bit. Back in and Dyer misses the corner splash, allowing Seven to deliver chops. Seven huts the suplex and covers for 2. Dyer counters a piledriver, and hits the spinebuster for 2. Seven looks to ground Dyer, but Dyer hits the big right hand and drops Seven; but the delayed counter only gets 2. Dyer hits the blue thunder bomb for another near fall. Dyer up top an misses the frog splash. Spinning back fist and Seven decapitates him with a lariat to pick up the win. Trent Seven defeated H.C. Dyer @ 5:30 via pin [**¾] Pretty good stuff to kick things off, they used the time well and it was enjoyable.
Jordan Devlin vs. Danny Burch: Devlin is a Finn Balor protégé, Burch was in NXT, got released and then got in great shape and has been working a ton of places as martin Stone and got back in here. Burch looks for a takedown right away; Devlin used his speed to counter and then worked the arm. Burch hits a suplex, shoulder block follows and then Burch picks the ankle and then follows with a snap suplex for 2. Devlin picks up the pace and hits the dropkick. Devlin then grounds Burch, keeping control and also talking some trash. Devlin keeps the chinlock, Burch works out and gets to his feet and escapes, only to be taken back down. Mounted rights by Devlin follow, yells at the crowd a bit allowing Burch to fire back. Devlin rakes the eyes, and again grounds Burch. Burch escapes, hits the missile dropkick, kips up and lays in rights and then an uppercut. Devlin with rights but then runs into a lariat, Burch covers for 2. Burch hits a spinebuster, knee strikes and rights and transitions into the crossface. Devlin makes the ropes. Burch plays to the crowd, looks for a German, countered and Devlin cradles him for 2. Devlin hits the double stomp and then a round house kick, Burch is bleeding from the back of the head and Burch kicked out at 2, but the bell rang. We get bullshit chants. Jordan Devlin defeated Danny Burch @ 9:25 via pin [**½] This was a solid match, Devlin was set as a heel here, but Burch impressed me more. The finish was unfortunate, but ended up working as they wanted Devlin to be a heel. It was an odd match, but somehow worked to get Burch over more than his entire WWE developmental run, and Devlin came off well as the heel.
– Post match, Devlin attacked Burch. Devlin cut a post match promo, claiming a clean and decisive victory over Burch.
Saxon Huxley vs. Sam Gradwell: They lock up to begin, Gradwell grounds Huxley and both men look to work the arm. Nice back and forth grappling to begin as the crowd chants for “Jesus/Huxley.” Gradwell hits the dropkick, hits a butterfly suplex and covers for 2. Gradwell up top, but Huxley rolls to the floor. Back in and Huxley hits the butterfly back breaker, covering for 2. The crowd now sings for Jesus, it’s a UK revival! Gradwell fires back with rights and forearms. To the corner, uppercuts by Gradwell and then knee strikes follow. They trade rights, but Gradwell hits the lariat. Gradwell up top, flying head butt and that is all. Sam Gradwell defeated Saxon Huxley @ 6:12 via pin [**] This was only ok, Gradwell looked good, but Huxley came off as not ready to me.
– Squire Dave Taylor is in the crowd.
Pete Dunne vs. Roy Johnson: Dunne refuses the handshake. We get a lockup to begin, as Dunne looks to work the arm and break Johnson down early. Johnson dances a bit, and then fires up but Dunne just drops him with a palm strike, and then works a hanging guillotine. Dead lift suplex by Johnson, Dunne sends him to the floor and trips him u on the apron. He hen stomps on Johnson’s hand on the steps. Back in and Dunne grounds Johnson, working the arm and manipulating the fingers. Dunne works the surfboard, removes the glove of Johnson as he continues to attack the hand and arm. Clothesline by Dunne, Johnson fights back, hitting the flapjack. Johnson hits a shoulder block off the second rope, but runs into an enziguri. Johnson fights back with the Samoan drop for 2. Dunne cuts off Johnson as he comes off the ropes with a forearm smash, and covers for 2. Running enziguri by Dunne, but Johnson hits the big ending and covers for 2. Dunne hits the snap German, and then the X-Plex. Dunne hits the bitter end (pump handle flatliner) for the win. Pete Dunne defeated Roy Johnson @ 8:00 via pin [**¾] Dunne is very good, coming off as on a completely different level than Johnson. They gave Johnson a lot, but Dunne shined and was easily the right call as the winner.
– Cole and Nigel put over PROGRESS Wrestling big time.
Wolfgang vs. Tyson T-Bone: T-Bone said FUCK OFF and head butted Wolfgang as they went for the handshake, what a great man. T-Bone lived up to his pre-match promo, and was here to brawl and cheat if need be. Wolfgang made a good and spirited comeback, but T-Bone just kicked him in the face and then beat him down. T-Bone is so different than anyone else on this show so far, and I dig it. Wolfgang fights back, hitting a suplex and they then traded rights. Wolfgang hits wasteland and then the moonsault for a near fall. T-Bone kicks him in the face and followed with a German and then a superkick for 2. They brawled to the floor as T-Bone posts Wolfgang. They teased a countout, Wolfgang up top but gets cut off with a right by T-Bone. T-Bone follows him up, but Wolfgang dumps him off to the mat. Swanton by Wolfgang and he picks up the win. Wolfgang defeated Tyson T-Bone @ 6:35 via pin [***] This was the best match on the show so far, with a completely different feel and vibe from the other matches. It also had a wonderful sense of urgency and intensity.
James Drake vs. Joseph Conners: Cole tells us Conners was left for dead in a nightclub, and lost half an ear. They locked up and worked around the ring, Drake took control and hit clotheslines. Conners fought back with clubbing shots, Drake cut him off with a running knee strike. Conners hits a double stomp out of the corner, follows with elbow strikes and covers for 2. Drake fires back with rights, but Conners hits a slam and they roll to the floor. Conners picks up the pace and intensity, just clubbing away at Drake on the apron. Conners grounds Drake, working a half nelson. Drake with strikes, and then a running clothesline to take Conners down. To the corner more forearm strikes follow. Drake hits an enziguri and covers for 2. Sunset flip into a stacked cover by Drake gets 2. Conners hits an elbow into a back breaker, hits a flatliner and picks up the win. Joseph Conners defeated James Drake @ 7:20 via pin [**¾] This was another match I’d call pretty good, it was solid throughout but never got out of second gear. I kept waiting for the pacing or intensity to really pick up and it never did.
Mark Andrews vs. Dan Moloney: Moloney looked to use his side and power advantage to begin. Andrews picked up the pace, made a comeback with some arm drags. Moloney brining some fun and flippity-doos here before working the arm. Moloney cut him off, grounding him until Andrews fought back into the jawbreaker. Andrews bringing a very different and fun style here, as he hits a rollup and then goes into the double stomp. Northern lights suplex and then a standing moonsault by Andrews. The RANA sends Moloney to the floor, Andrews hits the moonsault to the floor. Back in and Andrews avoids the TKO, but Moloney then hits his version of the TKO and then a running kick to the face. Andrews then hit the stunner and shooting star press, and moves on. Mark Andrews defeated Dan Moloney @ 6:00 via pin [***] Good match, clearly designed as a showcase for Andrews.
– Cole also thanks ICW Wrestling.
Tyler Bate vs. Tucker: We got a basic beginning, they worked to the mat and they kipped up and had a stand off. Tucker tripped up Bate, but then missed the moonsault, leading to a stand off. Bate then pointed in the air and sucker punched Tucker, it was awesome. Tucker runs up the corner, hits a back elbow strike and follows with chops. Bate then jacks Tucker in the jaw, and then grounds Tucker with a cravat. Bate has a ton of presence at age 19, coming off very confident in the ring. I’ve seen him before, but it is still impressive at his age. Tucker fights back, hits a running RANA and then the forearm smash in the corer and then a cool looking downward spiral for the near fall. Tucker misses a senton, bate with a knee strike and then the uppercut off the ropes. Tucker gets a jackknife cover for 2, kicks Bate in the face and tosses him to the floor. Bate huts an uppercut to stop the suicide dive. They work back and forth on the floor, RANA by Tucker sends Bate to the ramp. Back in the ring, Bate rolls through the high cross, and into the airplane spin. Bate then squats Tucker and spins him again, slams him down and covers for the win. Tucker then hits a desperation superkick, sending Bate to the floor. Tucker follows, rolls Bate back in and covers for a great near fall. Tucker up top, senton eats knees. Kick to the face by Bate and then another kick follows, Tyler/tiger driver by Bate and that is all. Tyler Bate defeated Tucker @ 10:45 via pin [***½] This was a very good main event, the best match on the show as they worked at a great clip, it had good intensity as you felt as if both guys were desperate to win, and they had a string closing stretch with some very well done near falls.
– Nigel and William Regal are now in the ring and put over today’s show. They then announce the matches for tomorrow, which you can see below..
– Pete Dunn then attacked Sam Gradwell, mostly because he could.
When your dad found out you had a party when he explicitly told you not to pic.twitter.com/KwzUyHf4TA
— Ingobernable Dazzler (@DanTheDazzler) January 14, 2017
– End scene.
– Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
Cole and Nigel did a hell of a job on commentary, both were energetic and shared just enough background information to educate you but at the same time, they never overwhelmed you. Nigel ROH commentary was on autopilot most of the time, but he was great here. This is Cole’s best commentary work since the WWE Beast in the East Network special.
I felt that this was a great mix of WWE production, commentary and the venue were quality and had a different and minimalist feel (That’s a good thing). The overall presentation was beautiful, with the great WWE video packages and they helped to introduce these new faces well.
I thought that the crowd added a lot to the show, with a great energy that helped the matches and overall vibe of the show. I don’t mind singing and such, as long as I don’t here a “we are awesome chant,” I am usually good to go.
Overall night one was a good show and essentially what it needed to be. They set up a good night two, which I am really looking forward to.
